Carriage structure for aeroplanes.



H. SORLEY.

CARRIAGE STRUCTURE FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1911.

Patented June 18, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOH WITNES/SES ATTORN EY H .SORLEY. CARRIAGE STRUCTURE FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 19!].

I u, Patented June 18, 1918 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\NVENTOR WITNESSES ATTOFI N EY H. SORLEY. CARRIAGE STRUCTURE FOR AEROPLANES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1917- ]Patented June 18, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTO'R N EY llill lib . be wholly obviated.

HARTVIG SORLEY, F MACOMB, ILLINOIS.

lIl l. l 1

CARRIAGE STRUCTURE FOR AEROJPLANES.

neeaees;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARTVIG SoRLEr, a subject of the King of Norway, residing at Macomb, in the county of McDonough and State of llllinoisyhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriage Structures for Aeroplanes, of which the follow ingis a specification.

This invention relates to aeroplanes, and particularly to landing and launching mechanism therefor.

The primary object of the invention is to provide improved running or supporting gear for aeroplanes, which is arranged in such manner as to absorb the shocks and jars incident to the landing of the machine after fli ht, whereby straining or breaking of the fiagile parts of the aeroplane will A further object of the invention is to provide improved cushioning mechanism for the running gear of an aeroplane which automatically compensates for the jars or shocks to which running gear frames will be subjected, and includes improved mechanism whereby the degree of resistance of the cushioning element is varied according to the degree of shock transmitted to the running gear frames.

Still further objects reside in providing shock absorbing means for the running gear for aeroplanes which is of comparatively simple construction, which is composed of relatively few movable parts, all of which are so constructed and assembled as to minimize the opportunity for wear or breakage,

which is..wholly automatic in operation, and which will prove highly eflicient in practice.

With these objects in view, together with others which will appear as-the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel formation, combination, and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of an aeroplane equipped with running gear constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken Specification of Letters Patent.

the aeroplane body Patented June 1%, 191%..

Application filed May 23, 1917. Serial No. 1170,4185.

through a portion of the aeroplane frame, and illustrating inside elevation the improved wheel frame; I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view taken through the wheel frame;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4; i

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially upon line 77 of Fig. 6.

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The improved running gear mechanism herein shown and described is adapted particularly for use in connection with aeroplanes. of the type illustrated in my copending application, filed July th, 1916, Serial Number 109,531, but may be used with equal facility with other types of air craft.

Depending from the under structure of are running gear supporting brackets indicated generally at 10, and any preferred number of such brackets 'may be employed. In the present instance,

these running gear supporting brackets are located one at each side of the aeroplane and adjacent to the forward end thereof, and one at the rear or tail end of the aeroplane and preferably midway the sides of the machine, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Each running gear bracket carries a vertically disposed cylinder 11 within which a piston 12 is mounted for reciprocation. This cylinder is adapted to contain air for cushioning the shocks to which the running gear of the aeroplane is subjected, and the air may be led to the cylinder through suitable pipes from a storage tank indicated at 13. I

I have illustrated in the drawings means for supplying the storage tank 13 with compressed air, and this means includes a relatively large worm gear 14 in mesh with a worm 15, driven by the crank shaft of a motor or engine 17 used in propelling the aeroplane. -This worm gear rotates a crank shaft 18, to which the driving rods 19 for operating the pumps 20 are connected. The air is forced from the pump cylinders through the pipe 21 into the compressed air storage tank 13.

, exhaust chamber, while the lower chamber 23 will be termed the supply chamber. The exhaust chamber is provided in its bottom with an openingv or exhaust port 24, which is adapted to be closed by a valvehead 25 secured on the upper end of a vertically reciprocable valve rod 26, and the valve head is normally "held in seated position over the port or opening 24 by 1 an expansion spring 27.- The rod 25 extends into the chamber 23, and carries a head 28, adapted to close. a feed or supply opening 29 at the upper end of the chamber when the valve rod is raised. When the valve rod is in such position that the exhaust port 24 in the upper chamber is closed, thehead 28 onthe lower end of the stem will be removed from the opening 29 so that air may flow therethrough. Air is led to the lower end of the chamber. 23 from the storage tank 13 through @a pipe 30, and a connecting pipe 31 establishes communication between the upper ends'of the chambers 22 and 23. The

cylinder 11 is supplied with air passing through a pipe or duct 32 communicating with the upper end of the chamber 22.

From this construction, it is apparent that when the head 25 is in such position that the exhaust port 24 of the upper cham her is closed, air may pass directly from the storage tank, through the lower or supply chamber 23, through the connecting pipe 31 to the upper chamber 22, and thence through the pipe 32am the upper end of the cylinder 11, whereupon the piston 12 therein will be forced downwardly. When the valve heads are thus positioned, the escape of air from the exhaust chamber will be prevented, but when the valve stem has been moved upwardly so as to unseat the head 25, air may escape from the cylinder through the pipe 32 and port 24. When the valve stem has been raised to air exhaustmg position, the head 28 will be seated over the opening 29 in the upper end of the lower or supply chamber, whereupon the air supply coming through the pipe 30 will be checked. Upward movement of the piston 12 in the cylinder 11 will then cause the air within the cylinder to exhaust through the port 24.

Mounted for vertical. sliding movement in suitable guides 33 are the forks 34 of the running gear frame. Ground engaging wheels 35 are rotatably mounted u'pon suitable axles carried by the forks at their lower ends, and the upper ends of the forks are connected with the piston by a rod 36. The supportmg forks for the ground engaging wheels are so arranged within the guides 33 that when the aeroplane lands, the air craft will have a tendency to settle down upon the ground wheels, whereupon the pistons 12 within the .various cylinders will move upwardly unless .checked by the air within the cylinders, but just as soon as air is admitted to the cylinders in sufiicient quantity to bear the weight of the aeroplane body, the said body will rise upwardly until limited in such movement by the engagement of the pistons with the lower heads of their respective cylinders.

Associated with a running gear mechanism of this character is improved means for varying the. degree of air pressure within the cylinders 11, so that the settling movement of the aeroplane body upon the various pistons will be gradual and yet positive, and after the machine has alighted upon the ground and is traveling upon its running gear, such jars or shocks as might be transmitted to the aeroplane body by unevenness of the ground will be absorbed by the cushioning cylinders. This means includes valve rod actuating levers 37, pivoted as at 38 at their inner ends to a suitable bearing 39 aflixed to the stationary portion of the running gear frame, or bracket. The outer ends of these levers are connected by a cross member 40, and the outer ends of said, levers pivotally support between them the inner end of a finger or latch 41. This finger carries a shoulder 42 which engages with the cross member 40, whereby upward swinging movement of the finger is limited. A spring 43 normally holds the finger 41 in horizontal or outwardly extending position, with its shoulder portion 42 enga ed with the cross member 40. The levers 3 extend one upon each side of the valve rod 26, and are connected with the said valve rod by links 44. When the finger 41 is engaged by an upwardly moving element, the levers 37 will be rocked upon their pivots 38 in an upward direction, and the links 44 will deliver upward pull to the valve rod 26. This movement of the valve rod causes the exhaust port 24 in the upper chamber to be uncovered, and the feed opening 29 in the lower chamber to be closed, as has been before described. Immediately upon the finger 41 being released, however, the expansion spring 27 will force the valve heads, rod and rod lifting mechanism back to normal position. Should the finger 41 be engaged by an element moving downwardly, no actuation or movement of the valve rod could take place, as the finger 41 would rock downwardly upon its pivot and against Ill) mea re the valve rod actuating mechanism. This rod slides through bearings 46 carried by the running gear bracket, and the said rod has projecting inwardly therefrom spaced stops 47 and 48 respectively. These stops are adapted when the rod 45 moves upwardly, to engage one at a time with the outwardly projecting finger of the valve actuating mechanism, to vary the degree of air pressure within the cylinder. It will be observed that an appreciable amount of travel. between the cylinder and movable running gear frame will be permitted before the uppermost stop 47 engages the finger 41. When such movement takes place, it is obvious that the air within the cylinder will be compressed, and will absorb the shocks to which the wheels on the forks will be subjected. As soon as the aeroplane frame settles further, however, the finger 41 will engage the uppermost stop 47, whereupon further downward movement of the aeroplane frame will cause the valve stem or rod ,26 to move upwardly, unseating the exhaust valve, and closing the supply valve. This action of the valves enables the compressed air within the cylinder 11 to exhaust, whereupon the vehicle frame may settle further upon the wheel fork. This set tling movement, is, however, cushioned immediately so as to straining of the parts, as the finger 41 passes from engagement with the upper stop 47 I and the spring 27 immediately restores the valve rod and heads to normal position. Immediately,

then, air enters the cylinder ll, to check the inward movement of the piston 12, and this air continues to flow until the vehicle frame and running gear move relatively to each other a distance suficient to enable the finger 41 to engage the lowermost stop 48. This movement will cause the valve rod 26 to again'be lifted, whereupon the highly compressed air within the cylinder 11 will again be momentarily relieved. From this construction, it is seen that an air cushion is provided between the ground engaging wheels and the frame of the vehicle and the degree of pressure within the cylinders is varied accordingly as the vehicle frame and ground engaging wheels move toward or away from each other. When the air craft is passing over smooth ground or is stationary, the air will pass from the supply tank into the cylinders, and will cause the air craft to rise and be yieldably supported in raised position. As the body of the air craft moves upwardly as the pres sure in the cylinders is increased, the latch or finger 41 will idle over the stops 4748, and no action of the valve rod will take place.

The foregoing discloses a simple and yet thoroughly elhcient means for absorbing the prevent breakage orv shocks incident to the landing of the aeroplane, and the various parts are so constructed and assembled that the opportunity for wear or. breakage during operation is greatly minimized.

While the present disclosure is that of what is believed to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but that various changes in the minor details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In an aeroplane, a movable supporting frame, an air cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a connection between said piston and said frame, an air supply pipe communicating with said cylinder, a pair of valves in said. pipe, one of said valves being a relief valve, the said valves being adapted to open and close alternately, a finger for operating said valves, a rod connected to said movable frame, and a pair of stops arranged in spaced relation on said rod and being adapted to engage said finger to operate said valves when said frame moves in one direction.

2. In an aeroplane, a movable supporting frame, an air cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a connection between said piston and said frame, an air supply pipe communicating with said cylinder, a pair of valves in said pipe, one of said valves being a relief valve, the said valves being adapted to open and close alternately, a finger adapted when moved in one direction to actuate said valves, and a pair of stops carried by said frame and being adapted to operate said finger when said frame moves in one direction.

3. In an aeroplane, a body, cylinders depending from said body, a source of fluid supply on said body, pistons in said cylinders, wheel yokes connected to said pistons, a pipe connecting each cylinder with said source of supply, valves" in said pipe, and means operable by sliding movement of said piston for operating said valves to sever or make communication between said cylinder and said source of supply.

4. In an aeroplane, a body, a source of air supply on said body, cylinders depending from said body, pistons in said cylinders, wheel forks carried by said pistons, a pipe connecting said air source with each cylinder, valves in each pipe, a rod connect ing the valves of each pipe. the said valves being arranged to close alternately upon reciprocation of said rods, one valve in each pipe being an exhaust valve, a finger on each rod, a bar secured to the fork of each piston, a pair of lugs on each bar adapted to engage one ata time with said fingers, for operating said valves, means for norand means for automatically movmg sa1d mally holding said relief valve open, and a valve to initial positionwhen released -by stop on said frame adapted to engage said 15 said lugs. 1 finger when the frame is moved in one direc- 5 5. In an aeroplane, a movable supporting tion to reverse the position of said valves. frame, an air cylinder, a piston in said cyl-' In testimony whereof I afiix my signature indsra connection betvilreen said piston and in presence of two witnesses. sai rame, an air supp yipe communicating with said cylinder, a r lief valve in said Y HA'RTVIGLSORLEY' 10 pipe, a check valve in said pipe, a conned. Witnesses:

tion betweenv said valves whereby one will- Omar A. ANDERSON,

be open when the other is closed, a fingerv GUSTAV H. SeHnFsrnoM. 

